Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-04
| Y.

| n Send-On Tor the new flrm OF Benton ~
Brown, real estate dealers"
".
A year and a half have elapsed. 1t is
Christmas-Eve. Once more Tulita is
watching the sun set, but this time from
another home, where Point Iona does
not intervene its huge bulk, where she
can see the golden disk slipping down
between the blue OF the Pacific and the
blue Of the evening sky, until the last
FURNISHED tip disappears. Then the soft
warm air is filled with rich color as the
afterglow stains sky and water with
its hues. Turning away Tulita proceeds
with her occupation of gathering roses
which this celestial pageant had inter
rupted, while the air grows heavy with
their perfume. Behind Tulita is large,
so-called "Queen Anne" cottage, and
on the versnda sits her mother lazlly
rocking and tanning herself. Next to
the sonora sits an elderly gentleman, and
on the back OF the elderly gentleman's
chair leans Mr.. Brown, of Philadelphia.
AS Tulita passes the side of the porch
she dexterously losses a rose to the
elderly gentleman and laughs as he sue
cessfully catches it and presses it to his
lips with gallant bow.
"Well, well, WE'LL" he says, breaking
the silence, "imagine being out Of door
without a wrap gathering roses on Christ
massive. And you really mean to tell
me, Frank, that this place has been set
out only year?"
"Yes, sir" replied the young man,
"just about. You see, father, in this
country water is everything. If You can
only get plenty of water things grow
like magic. / remember that is what
worried us most when we put Lunavaritn
town lots on the market. Water was
the great question, and we were afraid
we would have to pipe it from town.
But as soon as we struck that Arte-
sian well we were fixed. The property
doubled in value in twenty-four hours,
and we sold enough lots the first
week to pay for laying out the town,
putting down water and sewer pipes,
and substituting a street-car line to run a
motor out here. After that the people
used to come and stand in line all day
long at our Office, waiting to buy lots.
We raised the price religiously on the
first of each month, and now you can't
buy lot in Lunavarita for less than
$500. Wateris king in California. There
is a company formed to fume it down
from the mountains. about sixty miles
from here it is a good scheme, too.
/" 1t must cost great deal, said the
elder Mr. Brown, doubtfully.
"Oh no." said his son, ga million
ought to DO it,"
GA mere trihe," said the old gentle
man, mimicking Franks airy tone.
Upon my SOUL" he continued with
sudden energy, "if / stay here much
longer shall be as stark, staring mad as
all of the rest of you are. Why, they
tell me that that peninsula over there,
with that absurdly big hotel, which they
will never fill in the world" "All the
rooms are engaged already" murmured
Frank but his father, with a snort OF
incredulity, proceeded without needing
him" with its parks and its drives and
its geological gardens and God knows
what, begging your pardon. madam,
they tell me that it was sage-brush
desert last year. i don't believe it. l
won't believe it.
"My dear father" said his son, "two
or three years ago San Diego itself was
little more than that; you could have
bought pretty near the whole place for a
short bit. But railroad came in here
and that brought people, and when the
world at large began to find ont what a
magnificent harbor-"
"There there exclaimed his
father, hastily, "don't get started now.
/ have heard all about the harbor.
"And the glorious climate?"
eyes" said Mr.. Brown emphatically,
"and the climate, too"
/" am afraid you don't appreciate it,
though" said his son, reproachfully.
"Just think of the Boston east wind to-
night, and compare it with this air,
where you can feel your lungs grow.
Why, believe | have sprouted an extra
one myself since have been here"
81 believe that you have, my dear
boy" said the OLD gentleman, chuckling:
from the amount of talking that YOU
do, l believe that you have. En-, sonora,
l rather think [ got HIM there Did
you hear that, Tulita, my dear? Ia
ha ha
At this moment carriage was seen
coming up the hill toward the house.
"Ah," cried Tulita, there comes Alad-
din !"
The carriage stopped and Benton de-
scended. Tulita, waving the bunch of
roses before his face, babe him good
evening.
"Well, SIR said the elder Mr.. Brown,
"and how many towns have you built to-
day?"
"Not many" said Benton, laughing.
Then drawing from his coat pocket a
package Of papers he handed it to Mr..
Brown, saying "Here are your deeds
and abstracts F.; they are all right"
"What" shouted Frank. Father,
have you" but here he burst out
laughing. "Father," he continued, re-
gaining his gravity, "father, look me in
the eye. Is it possible that you. you, a
conservative merchant of Philadelphia,
have, at the present ruinous prices, been
indulging in wild, insane speculation,
that you-"
"There, there, Master Frank" said
bis father, joining in the laughter, "we
all know that you have sprouted an extra
lung"
Don't mind him, Mr.. Brown" said
Benton. "You have got bargain. As
soon as you get your vines well under
way one years crop Of raisin grapes will
pay for it
"Oh, of course, of course" said the
old gentleman, sit is bargain. They
all are. Though to my mind" he con-
tinued, putting bis arm around Tulita,
and drawing her to his side, "this is the
best bargain ever got in Southern Cali
fornia."
Yes" said his son, looking at his
wife proudly. "and to think that L had
only 20 put up three dollars for the OPP
ton
"Men are so conceited," said Tulita
confdingly to her father-in-law, " that
was not the way OF it at all. 1t was /
who gave dozen lavender sticks for a
husband and the town OF Lunavarita.
charlottesville (Dronicys Nnvhera